I’d been wanting to upgrade from my Beyerdynamic DT-990 Pros for a while, and instead of taking a mid-tier step, I decided to go all-in with the Audeze LCD-X. Coming from the DT-990’s characteristic harshness paired with their beautiful, expansive soundstage - especially for the atmospheric/ambient music I usually work on - I was surprised to find that the LCD-X actually felt like a bit of a downgrade. I couldn’t replicate that wide sense of space the Beyers create (even though they’re far from perfect), and everything felt almost claustrophobic by comparison.
So I returned the Audeze and began searching for something that kept the DT-990’s general tonal character but improved on it in every meaningful way. After a lot of research, I narrowed it down to the HIFIMAN Arya and the Beyerdynamic DT-1990 Pro, and ordered both to compare directly. When they arrived, my first impression was that the DT-1990s looked and felt like the obvious upgrade - premium materials, polished presentation, the “Made in Germany” stamp. The Aryas, by contrast, came in much more modest packaging, and I definitely began the comparison with a bias.
That changed the moment I started listening.
Switching back and forth between the DT-990s, DT-1990s, and the Aryas, the first thing that struck me was the comfort. The Aryas are unbelievably lightweight and airy, sitting on the head so naturally that I barely noticed the pads at all - far more pleasant than the clamp and cushion feel of the Beyers.
But the real revelation was the sound. Listening closely to familiar tracks, the Aryas delivered detail and timbre in a way that immediately pulled me in. I caught myself bopping my head without even realizing it. The presentation is pristine - exciting in a way that reminded me of my early days as a producer. The openness of the fit enhances the already huge soundstage; hard-panned elements genuinely feel like they’re coming from outside the room rather than simply left or right.
Another standout is how smooth the entire frequency spectrum sounds - bass, mids, and highs all feel balanced and effortless. The highs are slightly more present than I expected, but compared to the DT-1990s they’re far less fatiguing and much easier to listen to. Coming from the DT-990’s exaggerated treble, the reduced fatigue alone is a massive upgrade. I’d always felt like the mids were buried on the 990s, but with the Aryas they suddenly come alive, revealing details and characters in songs that had always been there but somehow ignored.
Compared directly with the DT-1990s, there are similarities, but it’s hard to put into words - maybe the planar vs. dynamic driver difference - yet the Aryas just offer a level of definition and spaciousness the 1990s can’t quite match. I think the lightness of the Arya increases the perception of the wideness of the soundstage in comparisson with the dt-1990's which also have a wide soundstage that is clearly wider than the LCD-X.
I could go on, but the short version is this: I wanted to prefer the DT-1990 Pro because they felt like the more premium product, but in actual use the Aryas completely outclassed them. They’re incredible if you’re looking to replace monitor speakers - which is my situation, since my room acoustics make using monitors impractical. I am eager to start producing with them and see if that initial excitement continues.
If you’re into film scores, ambient, orchestral music, or even some genres of electronic music (maybe less club music and more... electronic?), I'm sure you'll find these headphones surprising.
